YCP making bogus claims on 'voluntary OTS': Lokesh

Govt will remove benefits even if OTS is paid

Why are targets fixed for OTS collections?

YCP MLA a guest lecturer in Mangalagiri

AMARAVATI (prajaamaravati): TDP National General Secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh on Thursday advised the YSRCP Government to stop making false statements that the one time settlement (OTS) was voluntary and not mandatory for the poor beneficiaries of housing schemes.

Lokesh asked why the officials were threatening to stop the Government benefits if the OTS payments were really voluntary. Everybody knew how the Jagan Reddy regime was coercing the poor families into paying these amounts. The Government should explain why targets were fixed for the grama volunteers in OTS collections.

As part of his intensive tour in every lane and to every house in Mangalagiri assembly segment, Lokesh visited door to door on foot in several villages and colonies. He enquired about the woes of the local public. The poor residents narrated their every rising problems in the face of financial burdens being imposed by the Government.

Nara Lokesh cautioned that once the poor families paid the OTS amounts, the Government would surely cancel their social pensions and ration cards. The people along with all like-minded parties and organisations should continue to struggle till the YSRCP regime would withdraw the OTS scheme and other unlawful policies.

Lokesh deplored that the YSRCP regime was so inefficient that it was not able to pay any attention to the countless problems of the people. The ruling party leaders made huge promises before the elections but, after coming to power, they were disrespecting and ignoring the public.

During his latest tours, Nara Lokesh extensively visited residential localities in 15, 16, 19, 20 and 24 wards in Mangalagiri town and in Tadepalli. He visited the houses of the TDP activists and leaders, who passed away. The weavers told him that the 'Nethanna Nestham' benefit was being given to only those who had handlooms. Over 90 percent of the weavers' families do not have their own looms.

Nara Lokesh said Mangalagiri YSRCP MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy has turned into a 'guest lecturer' in the segment. It became a fashion for him to come now and then to make 'false promises' to the local people. Later, he would disappear. Once in a week, the YCP MLA would come and pose for photos at Gowtham Buddha Road. There was no development in the constituency.

Lokesh deplored that the problems of Mangalagiri were multiplying and the poor people's houses were being demolished without any humanity. There was zero development in the assembly constituency in which CM Jaganmohan Reddy has been residing. Jagan Reddy would stand top in the list of non-performing Chief Ministers in the country these days. Drugs were being sold indiscriminately within the limits of the CM's residence itself.

Some weavers told Lokesh that the raw material costs had increased manifold and that they were not able to overcome losses. The rates of yarn and chemicals increased by two times. The handloom sector was badly hit.

The vendors and small traders in Mangalagiri town recounted their woes because of reduced incomes and lack of support. Triveni, a housewife, said she had no idea how to continue the education of her son as his aided school was being closed. Her husband was a heart patient and they were very poor. A widow said she was not getting YSR Beema even a year after her husband's death. She was not getting even her social pension.